BLOODTHIRST

Is anyone ever really surprised when a quality extreme music product comes out of Poland? The same goes with some strong record labels, not the least of which includes Selfmadegod and Metal Mind. Add BLOODTHIRST and Pagan Records to the list of bands and labels that you must check out as soon as possible. Declaring itself a label "…against God and normality" and BLOODTHIRST "anti-Christian thrash metallers" makes perfect sense when blowing the ole eardrums out with the nine tracks on "Let Him Die", some terrifically old school inspired thrash that is deliciously blackened and raggedy as hell.

The colors of both the album art and music contained within are limited to blacks, whites, and various shades of grey. In other words, cheeriness and sunlight are nowhere to be found. What matters to BLOODFIRST is stepping on the gas and thrashing for Satan in no uncertain terms. The style borrows from early KREATOR in the riffs and, to some extent the arrangements, and the tempos are mostly one speed: fast! The blackened part can be attributed mainly to the raspy vocals and lyrical content, as "Let Him Die" is first and foremost a thrash metal album. The sound mix is just as it should be for the style played, that being raw and gritty, yet with a crispness that keeps the scything riffs sharp and with an acceptable amount of instrument clarity.

The songwriting is damn good too. The tunes are catchy and the arrangements are changed slightly from time to time to keep one's attention (e.g. "Destroyer – Bringer of Flames" switches to a groovy mid-pace chug at one point). You'll no doubt be leading those around you at the next cocktail party with a rousing refrain of "Crush the Bastard Nazarene!" Throw in guitar solos that range from the gnarly to the melodic and a general unpleasantness toward all things pious in the lyrics and you've got yourself a nice little package of rip ‘n' tear blackened thrash. Put "Let Them Die" in the same grouping of mandatory thrash as AUDIOPAIN's "The Switch to Turn off Mankind" and SATHANAS' "Crowned Infernal". As the old saying goes, "good shit."